Campaigners' picnic marks rail launch

RAIL campaigners are celebrating the launch of a new Sunday train service which links Severn Beach with Weston-super-Mare.

Tomorrow, passengers and campaigners will be taking advantage of the new service by travelling to Weston-Super-Mare for the day for a picnic.

Eric Wildman, of Friends Of Suburban Bristol Railway (FOSBR) said: "We thought we'd take advantage of this new service that means that people can travel direct to Weston from places such as Clifton, Avonmouth or Shirehampton for a day out.

"It's the first step in creating the long-awaited Bristol Metro that links one side of the city with the other."

In 2006, a FOSBR petition was presented to Bristol City Council calling for a half-hourly service on the Severn Beach line.

In 2007, the council unanimously agreed to invest £450,000 a year to fund an extra train and crew, allowing a more regular service.

Before the council's investment there were hourly trains from Bristol Temple Meads to Avonmouth; now there are trains roughly every 40 minutes during the day, with one every two hours to Severn Beach.

The Severn Beach Line runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Avonmouth and Severn Beach.

On the way it stops at Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Shirehampton and Sea Mills.

Another FOSBR member, Christina Biggs, said: "We are thrilled that First Great Western are joining up two areas of our stunning coastline.

"This service allows people to travel direct from stations on the Severn Beach line, such as Clifton or Shirehampton to Weston and stations in South Bristol.

"We want to see more direct services like this."

Passengers and campaigners will be getting the train from Severn Beach at 9.46am, Clifton Down at 10.08am and Bristol Temple Meads at 10.21am, arriving at Weston-Super-Mare at 10.54am.